Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Thursday night, the Troy Trojans (16-10, 11-4) women’s basketball team lost their second consecutive home Sun Belt game, for the first time since 2016, to Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (12-14, 7-8) by a score of 99-97.

The Chanticleers knocked down 16 three-pointers in the game and went 27-of-36 from the free throw line to pick up the win. With two minutes remaining, Troy trailed 92-87 but Amber Leggett knocked down a layup to cut the lead to 92-89. After Coastal knocked down 1-of-2 free throw attempts, Nia Daniel converted a pair of free throws and then stole the inbounds pass and hit another pair of free throws to cut the Chanticleer lead to 93-92 with 1:27 left.

Coastal Carolina hit four free throws in the next 45 seconds to stretch the lead back out to 97-93 as the game became a free throw contest. Daniel sunk two more free throws with 45 seconds left to cut Coastal’s lead to 97-95. After the Chanticleers missed a pair of free throws, Jashanti Simmons had a look at a three-pointer with 11 seconds left but the shot was no good. Coastal stretched the lead to 99-95 with two more free throws with five seconds left. Leggett hit a layup as time expired to make the final score 99-97.

Troy won the rebound battle 46-29 and outscored Coastal 44-22 in the paint. The Trojans also forced 24 turnovers but Coastal’s 16-of-26 shooting from beyond the arc would end up being the biggest difference as Troy knocked down just 2-of-19 three-point attempts. Leggett earned her fifth double-double of the season with 25 points, 14 rebounds and two steals in the loss, while Daniel scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds. Ja’Mia Hollings also turned in an 18-point, eight-rebound performance. Simmons chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Makayia Hallmon tallied 11 points, seven assists and three steals. Sharonica Hartsfield also totaled five assists and three steals.

Troy’s second consecutive loss in the conference causes the Trojans to fall into a three-way tie for first place with Old Dominion and James Madison. With just three games remaining on the regular season schedule, every game is a premium for Troy. The Trojans are at home for the final time this season this Saturday, Feb. 18, against Appalachian State at 4 p.m.